OHS Award 2026
On Tuesday, 19 May 2026, the OHS Award ceremony took place at the City Museum of Ljubljana, honouring selected architectural projects presented as part of the Open House Slovenia 2026 architecture festival.
The festival, held this year for the seventeenth consecutive time, once again opened its doors to quality Slovenian architecture and brought it closer to the general public. Over three festival days, from April 17 to 19, visitors had the opportunity to explore architectural projects across Slovenia free of charge, guided by architects, landscape architects, clients, decision-makers, and contractors. In addition, interesting thematic tours and architectural walks were organized.
The goal of the OHS festival over the years remains responsible management of space. Through personal experience, it aims to bring the values of quality architecture closer to everyone and encourage active participation in the dialogue about the built environment. The festival highlights examples of good practice that offer solutions to the social, economic, and environmental challenges we face.
Visitors of the OHS festival 2026 were able to view more than 100 architectural projects and vote for their favorites in the categories of Public, Social and Commercial Projects, Residential Projects, and Wood-based Projects. Voting for the best architectural projects at the Open House Slovenia festival took place online from the first day of the festival, 17 April, until 3 May 2026. In total, we received a record number of votes — more than 30,000.
The Open House Slovenia festival has been awarding the OHS Award since 2019. This award differs from traditional professional architectural recognitions, as its main purpose is not only the expert evaluation of architectural achievements but also to encourage the wider public to actively understand the importance of quality built environments and participate in their creation. All projects included in the festival program are pre-approved by a professional jury. The final winner is then chosen by the public through voting among festival visitors. Thus, the award reflects the direct response of the space’s users, for whom architecture is primarily intended.
The OHS Award is presented to the entire project team – architects, engineers, clients, contractors, and investors. This approach emphasizes the fact that quality architecture is the result of coordinated collaboration among various stakeholders who understand the importance of space for community development and recognize their role in the process of shaping it.
At a time when the built environment is often subjected to short-term interests, rapid execution, and the lowest price, the OHS Award highlights practices based on professionalism, responsibility, and a long-term vision. At the same time, its structure acknowledges the importance of investors and contractors who understand the culture of space as a key factor in social development – both today and in the future.
»This award is special. Special because it places architecture where it belongs: among people. The winning project is not chosen by a circle of experts, but by the public. By those who visit the spaces during the festival, experience them, use them, meet in them, and then return home. This sends an important message. Architecture is not an end in itself. Its value is ultimately tested only through life.
Architectural awards direct attention, create standards, and shape our understanding of what quality architecture is and what architecture should be today. At the same time, however, we are also witnessing doubts. Sometimes it seems that awards remain trapped within a closed professional circle. And sometimes they do indeed function more as a promotional mechanism than as a space for serious reflection on architecture.
This is precisely why I believe the OHS Award is so important.
Because it brings the question of architecture back into the public sphere. Because it does not ask only what professionals think about a project, but also how people experience architecture. How they live in it. How it speaks to them. How it creates a sense of community, openness, and dignity.«
Matevž Čelik, State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and Head of the international architecture platform LINA.
Three equal awards were presented in each category. The awarded projects will also be on display until 24 June at an exhibition on Gallusovo nabrežje in Ljubljana. You are warmly invited to visit the exhibition.
In the category of Public, Social, and Commercial Projects, the award was received by:
Renovation of the outbuilding at the Prešeren homestead in Vrba
Investor: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, funded under the Recovery and Resilience Plan – NextGenerationEU and the Ministry of Culture
Project Manager: Alenka Kušević
Architecture and Interior Design: Atelje Ostan Pavlin – Aleksander S. Ostan, Nataša Pavlin
Project Team: Kaja Vidovič, Zala Zia Lenardič, Žan Artelj, Nena Gabrovec, Alja Cevc, Daniel Ilijeski
Landscape Architecture: Atelje Ostan Pavlin, Mitja Škrjanec
Responsible Conservators, ZVKDS: Saša Roškar in collaboration with Renata Pamić, Nataša Koruza, Irena Potočnik, Irena Vesel, Mateja Kavčič
Exhibition Concept and Installation: Gorenjski muzej – Gašper Peternel, Dušan Grobovšek, Andrej Štular, Ariana Furlan Prijon
Structural engineering: Iztok Leskovar, Alan Sodnik
Main Contractor: Kovinar gradnje ST d.o.o. with subcontractors
Interior Furnishings: Lesnina MG oprema d.d. with subcontractors
Expert Supervision: ELEA iC d.o.o.
Photo: Miran Kambič
Investor: Municipality of Ribnica
Architecture and Interior Design: EFEKT arhitektura – Matic Lašič, Tina Mikulič; studio abiro – Matej Blenkuš, Katja Cimperman, Matevž Gazvoda
Landscape Architecture: adkrajine – Andreja Zapušek Černe, Damjan Černe
Main Contractor: Riko d.o.o.
Timber Structure and Timber Façade Contractor: Riko Hiše d.o.o.
Graphic Design: studiobotas – Primož Fijavž, Boštjan Botas Kenda
Photo: Miran Kambič
Cukrarna Palace – BAZA Youth Centre
Investor: City Municipality of Ljubljana
Programme: Public Institute Mladi zmaji
Architecture: Scapelab – Marko Studen, Jernej Šipoš, Boris Matić, Aleksandra Rakinić Vidmar, Anna Kravcova, Blaž Lozej, Jure Ule, Anja Bagon, Tine Robič
Main Contractor: Makro 5 Gradnje d.o.o.
Interior Furnishings: Lesnina MG oprema d.d.
Photo: Ana Skobe
In the category of Residential projects the awards go to:
Investor: Karmen Vovk
Architecture: Raketa – Katjuša Kranjc, Rok Kuhar, Maja Horvat
Tria studio – Jernej Hočevar, Martin Lovrečić, Matevž Vrhovnik
Interior Design: Raketa – Katjuša Kranjc, Rok Kuhar, Maja Horvat
Landscape Architecture: Mitja Škrjanec
Main Contractor: Alfa Natura d.o.o.
Windows and Doors: M Sora d.d.
Terrazzo Works: Coston d.o.o.
Carpentry Works: Boris Matjašec
Photo: Žiga Lovšin
Architecture and Interior Design: Studio MIKA – Mitja Šemrov, Katja Lipič
Structural Engineering: MG INŽENIRING, Mihelič Gregor s.p.
Timber Structure Contractor: Tesarstvo Golob d.o.o.
Interior Furnishings: Mizarstvo Miklič, Bojan Miklič s.p.; Kovinarstvo Golob s.p.; KUBUS – INTERIER d.o.o.
Photo: Ana Skobe
House on the Edge of the Plain
Architecture and Interior Design: Skupaj arhitekti – Tomaž Ebenšpanger (UM FGPA)
Landscape Architecture: Studio TSK – Dr Tanja Simonič Korošak
Main Contractor: PROiNG gradnje d.o.o.
Photo: Ana Skobe
In he category Wood-based projects the awarded projects are:
Investor: City Municipality of Ljubljana
Architecture: Gužič Trplan arhitekti – Gregor Trplan, Mojca Gužič Trplan
Project Team: Anže Čuden, Marko Brvar, Enis Abovski
Landscape Architecture: Andrej Strgar
Main Contractor: VG5 d.o.o.
Photo: Miran Kambič
Seed, Nursery and Forest protection Centre
Investor: Slovenian Forestry Institute
Architecture: ELEMENTARNA – Matevž Zalar, Ambrož Bartol, Dominik Košak, Miha Munda, Rok Staudacher
Project Collaborators: Edvard Mandič, Liza Privšek
Main Contractor: CGP d.d.
Timber Structure Contractor: CBD d.o.o.
Photo: Ana Skobe
Vila Soča Inn – Community Centre in Čezsoča
Investor: KIO d.o.o.
Architecture: STRIP LAB – Vid de Gleria, Jure Henigsman, Žan Ketiš, Manca Starman, Saša Štuhec, Manca Žugič Gabrijelčič, Tanja Pfajfar
Timber Structure Contractor: CBD d.o.o.; Gradbeno podjetje Posočje d.o.o.
Other Contractors and Suppliers: DA BO MONT d.o.o.; Cerk d.o.o.; Streha Kuhar d.o.o. roofing system: Prefa Slovenija; Tesarstvo Kolar d.o.o.; MMaj d.o.o.; Mizarstvo Fon s.p.; Lovorika d.o.o.
Photo: STRIP LAB
OHS FESTIVAL 2026 PARTNERS
